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Invel Yura (インベル・ユラ Inberu Yura) is a member of the Alvarez Empire and a former member the Spriggan 12, the protection guard of Emperor Spriggan as well as the former Emperor's chief of staff and consul.[1][2] His epithet within the Empire is "The Winter General" (冬将軍 Fuyu Shōgun) due to his cunning use of Ice Magic.[3]

Contents

Appearance

Invel's full appearance

Invel is a bespectacled man of average height. Most of his long, blue hair is bunched up into a ponytail by a golden brace. The ponytail hangs past his right shoulder, reaching up to his chest. The rest of his hair is quite messy, with uneven bangs falling down the sides of his face and between his eyes. He has alert eyes with red irises. His attire is quite trim, befitting his strict personality. It comprises of a simple pair of dark dress pants and a white collared dress shirt, completely buttoned up with a blue tie hanging from the neck. Over this, he dons a trench coat with a white border. The color of its interior as well as its exterior matches that of his tie. Dark markings are diagonally branded from the left shoulder and sleeve and run down the front and the back of the coat. The coat has a high collar which is left unfolded. The cuffs are also quite large. As the coat cannot be closed down the front, Invel fastens it with a long belt, looping it twice around his waist and then holding it fast with a simple buckle. This leaves part of the front of his shirt exposed, allowing the tie to be tucked neatly into the coat. The belt itself has a pattern of diamonds running across it. His outfit is completed by a pair of dark shoes with contrasting light soles.[3][4]

Personality

Invel appears to be a stern individual who values order and respect.[5] Due to this militaristic nature, while he is careful not to overstep his own bounds, he clearly voices his displeasure in case the actions of any of his associates are deemed to be out of keeping with their position in the Empire, be it another Shield of Spriggan[6] or the emperor himself.[7] He is also a highly capable orator and leader of soldiers.[8] Quite close to the emperor,[1] he reveres him greatly, chastising even his colleagues if he perceives their actions towards their sovereign to be disrespectful.[9] Through it all, Invel is an understanding person, being able to sympathize with His Majesty's relationship with Fairy Heart, or in other words his former lover.[10]

Invel also believes Zeref to be the one being destined to rule the world, and that the demon E.N.D (who he knows is his emperor's little brother) is the only other being capable of defeating his master. To ensure that Zeref would accomplish his goal, Invel made an attempt at molding Gray into a warrior powerful enough to defeat the demon, another testament to his loyalty towards his emperor.

Synopsis

Alvarez Empire arc

Invel scolds Yajeel

Invel greets Zeref as he returns to his palace in Vistarion. Asked about gathering the Spriggan 12, he says that it will take some time for the twelve to heed the call. As Ajeel Raml and Dimaria Yesta appear, Invel reprimands them for their behavior in the presence of the emperor, as well as Yajeel about the official documents that allow a foreigner to get an audience, but Zeref dismisses it as unnecessary. As Yajeel asks Zeref to have an audience with Makarov Dreyar, Invel and his fellow Spriggan 12 members leave upon Zeref's request.[11] Later, when Zeref calls a meeting for his Shields, Invel attends and is upset that Neinhart ignored Zeref's summons. He then listens as Zeref spells out the upcoming war against Ishgar.[12]

Invel reports the vanguard's failure

As the war against Ishgar proceeds, Invel escorts Zeref, who is leading a part of the Empire's army. As they approach Magnolia from the west, the Invel reports the defeat of their vanguard and expresses his disbelief at the outcome.[13] He later informs the emperor of an unidentified object hurling straight toward their location,[14] accompanying his lord when they head out to confront the enemy, Natsu. While Natsu and Zeref converse, Invel calms down the troops who question the enemy's constant reference to their emperor as "Zeref" by revealing it to be Spriggan's true identity. When ordered to retreat so that Zeref and Natsu might fight freely, he reproaches his master for attending to such a trivial matter, but obeys nonetheless,[15] Although concerned for his emperor's safety throughout the course of the battle, he restrains himself from interfering,[16] and, subsequent to the Fairy TailMage's retreat, carries out Zeref's orders of fetching him imperial garments as well as having the troops resume their march towards Magnolia,[17] warning them not to underestimate their opponent as well as alleviating their anxieties regarding the defeat of five Shields of Spriggan by delivering a rousing speech.[8] As the army proceeds towards Magnolia in an orderly manner, Invel suddenly notices that Zeref is worried about something and enquires about the source of his concern, only to be vaguely informed that the nature of the Magic flowing through the land has been changed by Irene.[18]

Invel argues with Zeref over Mavis

In the aftermath of the casting of Universe One, Invel rejoins Zeref in the Fairy Tail Guild hall, finding Zeref in conversation with Mavis, whom he instantaneously freezes in order to contain the power of Fairy Heart. However, at his emperor's behest, he frees the maiden, but retains an iron grip over her very thought processes.[10] The Winter General then reunites with his fellow Shields of Spriggan as they await the arrival of their enemies and the liberation of Fairy Heart from Mavis' body.[19]

Fairy Tail then quickly attacks in an attempt to take back their guild; Invel proceeds to watch as God Serena's Historia is defeated by Gildarts and Fairy Tail advances forward with an icy look on his face.[20] Invel goes on to freeze the advancing Natsu Dragneel's fire solid, and then his very body, alongside the bodies of Happy, Lucy and Juvia, with Gray being the only one unaffected. Invel is fascinated by Gray's immunity to the cold, but proceeds to mercilessly attack the Fairy Tail Mage before he can make a move. Introducing himself as Invel Yura, the Winter General derides Gray, whose immunity to cold is being overtaken by Invel's harsh use of Ice Magic.[21]

Invel reveals his mastery over ice

Invel immediately attacks Gray, only to have his attack blocked, but he too parries Gray's attack, before freezing and ultimately destroying the Ice-Make creation. Invel realizes that Gray's resistance to the cold stems from his Ice-Make, but tells the Fairy Tail Mage that he is a pure Ice Mage who only freezes rather than create objects, and likens Gray's Ice Magic derivative to a child's plaything. Invel is then subject to Gray's Ice Devil Slayer Magic, the usage of which takes him by surprise and allows Gray to wound him; Invel finds Gray's usage of this Magic fascinating, as it eats away at the sanity of the user, before blocking his second long sword. The Winter General goes on to create a blizzard, and explains to Gray that he is tainted with darkness, and that because of that he has the potential to stand alongside Alvarez. Gray denies that he was ever a good person to begin with, citing that he'll become anything to save his guild; Natsu then melts the ice encasing him and his friends, causing Invel to smile. At that moment, Brandish arrives to take Natsu, Lucy and Happy away, and utilizing Gray's distraction, Invel casts his Ice Lock on Gray and Juvia, intent on sealing away their minds and forcing Gray to kill Juvia to awaken his darkness so that he, not Zeref, will be the one to kill E.N.D.[22]

Invel then proceeds to watch as Gray overwhelms Juvia in battle, happy that his killing of a precious comrade will awaken the warrior he needs to defeat E.N.D. Thinking back to when Zeref revealed that a picture of his little brother is in his pendant, Invel internalizes that E.N.D. is the only thing stopping Zeref from defeating Acnologia and ruling the world. He ultimately sees Juvia try to resist his Ice Lock and tells her that its control is absolute, but watches in shock as Juvia breaks free long enough to impale herself. The stunned Invel then succumbs to shock when he sees that Gray has done the same thing, and, unable to conceive why they would both commit suicide over killing one another. Calling it a miscalculation, Invel dissolves Ice Lock and leaves to locate E.N.D. and kill him himself,[23] but as he heads in Brandish's direction, to his horror, a livid and empowered Gray, who was saved by Juvia, approaches him from behind.[24]

Invel is defeated

Aghast at the fact that Gray has survived, Invel is readily beaten down by the aforementioned foe; in response to Gray's enhanced strength, Invel casts True-Ice Kamui, covering him in an ice armor that freezes everything it touches, including other forms of ice and those with resistance to the cold. Their next clash, however, results in Gray molding Invel's ice for his own use and shattering his armor. The Winter General is then brutalized with Ice Devil's Zeroth Destruction Fist as recompense for his stealing of Juvia's future.[25] After his defeat, Invel taunts Gray, claiming that misfortune will continue to befall him as long as E.N.D. still lives, even going as far as to state that Gray is the only one who could possibly defeat E.N.D. The man goes on to reveal the true identity of the strongest Demon in Zeref's books to him: Etherious Natsu Dragneel.[26] Following this, Invel also explains the intricacies of the Etherious to Gray, citing that they were created by Zeref so as to kill him and end his immortal life, that E.N.D. is the strongest of them and Zeref's own brother, and that they are all programmed with an instinct that drives them to relentlessly hunt down and kill Zeref.[27]

100 Years Quest arc

After the Spriggan 12’s disbandment, Invel and Neinhart were sent to prison for plotting another war.[28]

Magic and Abilities

The effect of Invel's Ice Magic

Ice Magic (氷の魔法 Kōri no Mahō): Invel is capable of employing Ice Magic at such an immense level that he's been given the epithet "Winter General".[1] As per Invel's own words, he is a "pure" Ice Mage: one that only freezes rather than create objects. This is proven true when Invel shows the ability to freeze Gray's Ice-Make, shattering his creation with ease,[29] as well as to use the sheer coldness of his Magic to completely freeze Natsu's Fire Dragon Slayer Magic and the Dragon Slayer himself in a matter of seconds.[30][31] Invel can also create many forms of ice for offensive purposes, which are capable of making Gray (who is extremely resistant to the cold) shiver, and even almost freeze him solid.[32]

Ice Slave (アイススレイブ Aisu Sureibu): Invel is capable of suppressing one's free will via the conjuring of a single, icy collar that he fixes around his target's neck. When used on Mavis Vermillion, she described this Magic as one that stole her ability to form coherent thought, as well as one that rendered her unable to resist enemy orders.[33]Irene Belserion later describes this Magic as being one that steals away the target's sense of self, likening it to freezing their very heart solid.[34]

Ice Lock (アイスロック Aisu Rokku): Invel is able to lock two people together with this particular form of Magic; with it, he locks away the minds of those caught and makes them his puppets.[35]

True-Ice Kamui (氷裂神衣(ヒョウゼツカムイ)Hyōzetsu Kamui): Invel covers himself in an ice armor he describes as "unholy" that allows him to freeze absolutely anything, including those who are immune to extreme cold, and even other kinds of ice. However, the armor is susceptible to Molding Magic and ice of the exact same properties.[36]

Snow Magic (雪魔法 Yuki Mahō): A type of Magic which allows Invel to produce and control snow. Invel is capable of creating a massive snowstorm, large enough to surround a large area of Fiore.[37]

Enhanced Strength: Despite his small stature, Invel possesses a high degree of physical strength as he easily blocked Gray's Ice Impact spell with just a single hand before he completely froze and shattered it.[38]

Enhanced Endurance: After being sliced in the stomach with Gray's Devil Slayer Magic, Invel continued to fight as if nothing happened.[39]

Immense Magic Power: As a member of the Spriggan 12, Invel's Magic Power is immense, stated to be on par with those of the strongest Mage in Ishgar and strongest of the Ten Wizard SaintsGod Serena,[40] and stated to be roughly equal to that of fellow Shield of Spriggan Brandish μ's own,[41][42] someone renowned for toppling entire nations single-handedly,[43] and whose Magic Power exceeds Makarov Dreyar's own.[44] Invel's Magic Power is so massive, he was able to make Gray Fullbuster, someone with an immunity to the cold, shiver from the sheer coldness of his Magic.[45]

Trivia

Invel (インベル Inberu) is one of Hiro Mashima's recycled names for Zeref's original identity.[46]